New Delhi: In a significant administrative reshuffle, senior IAS officer Ashish Kundra (IAS:1996:AGMUT) has been transferred from Delhi and appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the transfer order on Thursday, stating that Kundra’s appointment will take effect from January 1, 2026, or from the date he assumes charge, whichever is later.
Mr Kundra will succeed Dr. Pawan Kotwal (IAS:1994:AGMUT), who became the first Chief Secretary of Ladakh in February 2025 after the post of Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor was redesignated. Dr. Kotwal is set to retire on December 31, 2025.
Over the last twenty-six years, he has served in various leadership roles in the governments of Chandigarh, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Daman, Dadra Nagar Haveli and New Delhi.
Currently serving as Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Ashish Kundra’s transfer marks a key administrative transition for the Union Territory. The move comes at a time when Ladakh is undergoing significant administrative restructuring and expansion of developmental projects.
